柙 (xiá) - Cage, pen, enclosure for containing animals (especially tigers) & also refers to a case or box for

柙Tone 2

xiá ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical: 木

万响

柙 · xiá

Cage, pen, enclosure for containing animals (especially tigers);

also refers to a case or box for holding valuable items.

Cage, pen, enclosure for containing animals (especially tigers)also refers to a case or box for

Usage highlights

Tiger cageWooden casePrison cageJewel caseAnimal penSecure confinement

Synonyms

  • 笼— cage, basket
  • 槛— pen, enclosure
  • 匣— box, case

Antonyms

  • 放— release, set free
  • 开— open

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The tiger was kept in a cage (虎兕出柙).
  • Ancient texts were stored in a wooden case (玉牒金柙).
  • The prisoner was confined like an animal in a pen (押入柙中).

Collocations

  • Tiger cage(虎柙)
  • Wooden case(木柙)
  • Prison cage(囚柙)
  • Jewel case(玉柙)
  • Animal pen(兽柙)
  • Secure confinement(柙禁)

Idioms

  • When the tiger escapes its cage(虎兕出柙)
  • Jade tablets in golden cases(玉牒金柙)
  • To keep under strict control(柙而藏之)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally referred to wooden cages used for confining wild animals, especially tigers, in ancient China.
  • Later extended to mean boxes or cases for storing precious items like jade tablets and important documents.
  • Appears in classical texts like the Analects of Confucius in discussions about proper containment and control.

FAQ